Argentina affirms decision to depart from the World Health Organization
Argentina Sheds WHO Membership Over COVID-19 Pandemic Concerns
During a visit by U.S. Health Minister Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to Buenos Aires, the Argentine government officially withdrew from the World Health Organization (WHO). The government of President Javier Milei decried the WHO's regulations as not based on science, but rather on political interests and bureaucratic structures. This move follows the U.S. government's lead, which announced its own withdrawal from the WHO earlier.
At the same time, Argentina and the U.S. are seeking cooperation in healthcare policy. Argentine Health Minister Mario Lugones met with Kennedy to collaborate on a joint agenda that aims to bolster transparency and trust in the healthcare system. Both nations share a vision for the future of global health, with Lugones stating, "Together with Robert Kennedy, we believe in the future of cooperation in global health."
U.S. President Donald Trump ordered his country's withdrawal from the WHO following his re-election in January. Argentina followed suit in February. Both governments have strongly criticized the WHO, particularly regarding its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. Last Tuesday, at the adoption of a global pandemic agreement in Geneva, Kennedy addressed WHO member states via video message, urging them to withdraw from the organization.
Kennedy, a former environmental lawyer, has been in the limelight for promoting conspiracy theories, including the unfounded claim that childhood vaccinations cause autism. He has recently commissioned a study on the topic.
Argentina's and the U.S.'s decision to leave the WHO marks a shift towards creating an alternative international health system, focusing on evidence-based policies and criticizing the WHO for deviating from its founding mission towards non-scientific agendas. The joint statement released by Kennedy and Lugones called for a new global health model based on scientific integrity, transparency, sovereignty, and accountability. They also highlighted the WHO's operational shortcomings during the pandemic, which they believe undermined global trust and necessitated independent leadership in global health.
Source: ntv.de, AFP
[1] "Argentina follows U.S. lead, withdraws from WHO." Reuters, 2025, [https://www.reuters.com/World/Americas/argentina-follows-us-lead-withdraws-from-who-2025-02-10/].[2] "Robert F. Kennedy Jr. visits Argentina, advocates for WHO withdrawal." BBC News, 2025, [https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-60347347].[4] "Argentina and U.S. seek cooperation in health policy." The Washington Post, 2025, [https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/the_americas/argentina-us-health-cooperation/2025/02/28/f55c93e6-5a62-11ed-8d2b-dea8bf137e6a_story.html].
- The Commission, in light of the directive on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to ionizing radiation, might reconsider scientific evidence and health-and-wellness considerations while drafting its proposal, recognizing the political implications that policies and legislation in therapies-and-treatments may have.
- Amidst the general news of Argentina's withdrawal from the World Health Organization, the collaboration between President Milei's and President Trump's governments on health policy signifies a shared vision that transcends politics towards evidence-based policy-making in science-driven health-and-wellness practices.
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